Caster-wheel.



S. P. CURTIS.

GASTEB. WHEEL.

APPLIGATION PILED JAN. 1a. 190e.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

yW/'OW/mf/VL EMHIBATT'Y mgza y SAMUEL P. CURTIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CABTER-WHEEL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Der.. 529; IUGM Application filed mamy 1a, 190s. smul. Nu. 296,422.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it lrrofn that I, SAMUEL I. CURTIS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Caster-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

Phe object of my invention is an article of mnuur'aeture, a. easter for furniture, hav ing a Wheel so constructed as to eliminate the trouble caused by casters of wood or metal when rolled over polished floors or coverings. Various efforts have hitherto been made to accomplish this object, which have not been completely successful. Soft rubber has lbeen used for wheels of casters` and soft leather as well. These mark a polished Hoor, and by reason of their softness, ,which extends throughout their body, incresalse the difficulty of moving furniture about.y and are soon destro ed; or if .left alone, in time harden in storted shape. Such wheels are homo eneous both in materia] and density. In act all caster wheels heretofore constructed may be` thus described, whether wood, metal, rubber 0r leather.

I have discovered that a wheel of hard compressed felt, with a somewhat soft surface, will not change its condition after years of service, will support heavy Weights without material'oonmressioln and removes the troubles of casters above enumerated. In fact the wheels of my casters are homogeneous only inmaterial and no t in density.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section on line A-B Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section on line C-D Fi 1. Fig. 3 is an enlar ed section of one of t 1e washers between w ich my felt wheel is mounted. Fig. 4 is a face view of the saine.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a yoke or hornl is .novided with u spindle 2 and socket 3. horn carries 'a pin 4, riveted to its arme iin any well known Way. `The wheel 5. 'conbposed of felt, hardened into a soiidmass, with a somewhat soft circumferential surface of tread, is mounted upon a sleeve or bushing 6 to provide it W1th a suitable bearing. 'the wheel 1s held between retaining Walle or washers T secu rely fastened so as to bind Hug i felt body between them.

In Fig. 3 the washers "t" ur@ shown 'pro vided. with burred edfres l()4 sprated ridges 1l, and pins 1Q to attlitionuin/ secure the felt wheel in place. l

In the drawing the wushgvg are shown to be riveted as follows: The end of the sleeve (i may bc provided with a shoulder t?, and a groove 9. iVhen the washer is slipped on 'to the end of the sleeve. and put. under a press the bur 14 is mashed into the groom-ali, this securely rivet-ing the parts together.

The felt is preferably hardened by being lsized and compressed while drying in hydraulic press. Thus it acquires u hard body substantially incapable of eonip'ressii'rn under the weights it sustains, and the eireu-mferential surface or tread, the part which touches the Hoor, 'is somewhat softened to afford a soft harmless Contact with the floot- What I claim is:

1. In a raster, a horn, :i in, and a wheel eomliirisingg a sleeve. a cireu ar body of hard felt mounted upon said sleeve, and retaining washers for l'iindingsaid bod between thei'n.

the tread of said felt bo y providing' e Somewhat. soft contact surface to rest upon the door.

2. In combination, in a caster, a horn, and

va wheel comprising a circular body of hard felt. and retaining washers for loindinor said body between them` said Wheel being nimmt ed upon a bearing in said horn, the tread ot' said felt. body providing a somewhat. soft contact surface to 4rest u on the floor.

Mvnon F. H n.1., ALBERT H. HYDE. 

